Industry Training Hub for Wide Bay students to develop skills in demand

A new Industry Training Hub in Maryborough will help local senior secondary students develop relevant skills to help them find employment without having to leave the region, Federal Member for Wide Bay and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Llew O’Brien announced today.

Busy At Work has been awarded the contract for the Maryborough hub, which is one of ten training hubs being trialled across Australia as part of a $50.6 million investment by the Australian Government to improve opportunities for Year 11 and 12 students in regions with high youth unemployment.

Mr O’Brien said the training hub would be managed by a full-time career facilitator who will introduce school students to opportunities in local industries, and would service the Maryborough, Hervey Bay, Gympie, Bundaberg and Burnett regions.

“The Industry Training Hub is about helping local students gain the relevant, useful skills that local employers are looking for, which in turn helps local businesses find the skilled staff they need to grow their businesses,” Mr O’Brien said.

 “Busy At Work will engage with local employers, especially those who are experiencing difficulty finding people with the right skills they need, and in turn, they will be able to advise senior high school students of skill shortages in the region.

“This is all about building a strong workforce that meets our local industry needs.”

Minister for Education, Skills and Employment, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, said the opening of the Maryborough Training Hub follows two hubs already operating in Burnie in Tasmania and Townsville in Queensland.

“Young people can face longer periods of unemployment than other age groups, and in regional areas they are particularly at risk of falling into long-term welfare dependency,” Minister Cash said.

“By focusing on vocational education and training, people on the cusp of their adult working lives in these regions will develop the skillset and confidence they need, to embark on a fulfilling career with long-term prospects.”

Additional training hubs are planned for Grafton and Gosford in NSW, Wanneroo and Armadale in Western Australia, and Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.

More details can be found at www.dese.gov.au/industry-training-hubs